1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an earthquake-resistant insulator for buildings.
Earthquakes resistant insulators are designed to be interposed between the ground and erected buildings so as to allow these constructions to avoid the most violent effects of earthquakes.
2. Discussion of Background and Relevant Material
Earthquake-resistant apparatus that are presently known are of two different types. They are either based on a friction sliding possibility allowing limited movement or conceived from elastomer bases often hooped, whose distortion is put to use. Attention is directed to French Patent Nos. 2,625,763 and 2,601,716 by the same inventor. In these apparatus the movement of the building is not absorbed, and strong lateral movements can create extremely hard shocks that could cause breaking of the earth tremor apparatus or induce their characteristic to change over time. Logically, this would necessitate their periodic replacement. Moreover these known apparatus do not allow control of the amplitude of movements due to earth tremors.